Stamped steel refrigerator shelf

ABSTRACT

A shelf, usable in a refrigerator, is provided which has a generally flat, horizontal support surface comprising a left edge, a right edge, a front edge and a rear edge. A first support arm extends along the left edge of the support surface and a second support arm extends along the right edge of the support surface. The first and second support arms are each connected by a substantially right angle bend to the support surface. The first and second support arms each extend rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the support surface. The support surface and the support arms are formed from a single piece of metal and are bent into a final configuration without the use of fasteners to hold separate pieces together.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Movable shelves in appliances and cabinets, such as in refrigerators are well known. Typically the shelves are formed from multiple components, including multiple materials in some instances. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,492 discloses a movable refrigerator shelf having side brackets 66 which are secured by welding to a support plate 68. The use of a welding bead as a fastener to hold together two separate parts requires extra assembly labor and materials, and hence increases the cost of the shelf. U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,347 discloses a one piece molded plastic frame for a refrigerator shelf that is molded around a separate glass shelf panel. U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,233 discloses a refrigerator shelf formed from a plurality of separate sheet metal stampings that are connected and held together by welds and receive a tempered glass shelf that has an elastic seal secured to its peripheral edge. Many other examples show similar shelf constructions.

A drawback of these existing shelf constructions is that extra labor and materials are required when the shelf is constructed of multiple components, whether those components are made from identical or different materials. Extra assembly and handling steps, and use of separate fasteners, including welding of separate parts, increase the cost of the shelves.

It would be an advance in the art if there were provided a single piece, metal shelf that could be formed without the need for assembly or use of fasteners for separate parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a single piece, metal shelf that may be formed without the need for assembly or use of fasteners to join or hold separate parts or components together.

In an embodiment, the invention comprises a shelf, usable in a refrigerator, which has a generally flat, horizontal support surface comprising a left edge, a right edge, a front edge and a rear edge. A first support arm extends along the left edge of the support surface and a second support arm extends along the right edge of the support surface. The first and second support arms are each connected by a substantially right angle bend to the support surface. The first and second support arms each extend rearwardly beyond the rear edge of the support surface. The support surface and the support arms are formed from a single piece of metal and are bent into a final configuration without the use of fasteners to join or hold separate parts or components together.

In an embodiment, the support surface includes a plurality of openings formed therein. For example, the plurality of openings may be a series of parallel slots extending generally front to rear. In one embodiment, the series of parallel slots may be two rows of parallel slots. In any configuration of openings, the openings may include downwardly depending walls which define the openings.

In an embodiment, the support arms each are provided with hooked tabs arranged to engage with a support ladder in the refrigerator.

In an embodiment, the support surface includes a raised rim extending around a perimeter of the surface.

In an embodiment, a downwardly extending lip may be formed at the front edge of the support surface.

In an embodiment, an upwardly extending ledge may be formed at the rear edge of the support surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet using a refrigerator shelf embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a stamped refrigerator shelf embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the stamped refrigerator shelf of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom partial perspective view of the stamped refrigerator shelf of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view taken generally along the line V-V of FIG. 2

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view taken generally along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is directed to a shelf which finds utility as a refrigerator shelf, although it could be used in other environments, including use in other appliances, such as freezers and also in various cabinets and shelving applications. In order to illustrate an embodiment of the invention, the shelf is illustrated as a shelf that can be used in a refrigerator, however, its use should not be limited to such an environment.

FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigeration appliance 20 having a cabinet 22 with a door 24 openable to expose a refrigeration compartment 26. Other refrigeration appliances, such as some located in stores, do not have doors that need to be opened to expose the refrigeration compartment. Positioned within the refrigeration compartment 26 are a number of shelves 28, one or more of which may embody the principles of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the shelves 28 are supported by slotted ladders 30 at the rear wall 32 of the refrigeration compartment 26 in a known cantilevered fashion.

The shelves 28 are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-6, where it is seen that each shelf has a generally flat, horizontal support surface 34 comprising a left edge 36, a right edge 38, a front edge 40 and a rear edge 42. A first support arm 44 extends along and depends from the left edge 36 of the support surface 34 and a second support arm 46 extends along and depends from the right edge 38 of the support surface. The first 44 and second 46 support arms are each connected by a substantially right angle bend 48, 50 to the support surface 34 so that they each reside generally in a vertical plane. The first 44 and second 46 support arms each extend rearwardly and may extend beyond the rear edge 42 of the support surface 34. The support surface 34 and the support arms 44, 46 are formed from a single piece of metal and are bent into a final configuration without the use of fasteners to hold separate pieces together. The single piece shelf 28 may be securely held in its folded final configuration or strengthened by a securing or strengthening element, such as by a metal clinch between two overlapping sections of the single piece shelf, or by a tack weld between two overlapping sections. Separate pieces are not required to be gripped and held in a predefined orientation relative to one another, rather the folded single piece must merely be retained in its folded condition temporarily while the securing or strengthening element is applied. In a progressive die press, the securing or strengthening element may be applied as an automated additional step without adding further complexity to the manufacturing process.

In an embodiment, the support surface 34 includes a plurality of openings 52 formed therein. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the plurality of openings 52 may be a series of parallel slots extending generally front to rear. In one embodiment, as shown, the series of parallel slots may be two rows of parallel slots in which the slots are formed as elongated ovals. In other embodiments, the slots may have other configurations, such as extending side-to-side rather than front-to-rear, and may be arranged in chevron configurations or other non-linear configurations. The openings 52 themselves may also be formed with a configuration different than the illustrated oval slot, and could include round, square, rectangular, pentagonal or other polygonal shapes and combinations of curved and straight edges.

In any configuration of openings, as shown in greater detail in FIG. 4, the openings 52 may include downwardly depending walls 54 which define the openings. The downwardly depending walls 54 provide additional strength to the support surface 34. A lower edge 55 of the walls 54 may be curled over to avoid sharp edges of the wall.

In an embodiment, the support arms 44, 46 each are provided with hooked tabs 56 extending rearwardly of the rear edge 42 of the support surface 34 and are arranged to engage with the support ladders 30 in the refrigeration appliance 20. The tabs 56 engage in the slots of the ladders 30 and a rear edge 58 of the support arms 44, 46 abuts against the ladders to support the shelf 28 in a cantilevered fashion.

To provide additional strengthening for the shelf 28, in an embodiment, the support surface 34 includes a raised rim 60 extending around a perimeter 62 of the surface. The raised rim 60 is comprised of a short vertical wall segment 64 and a horizontal wall segment 66.

In an embodiment, a downwardly extending lip 68 may be formed at the front edge 40 of the support surface 34 or rim 60. This lip 68 extends across the entire front edge 40 and abuts the two support arms 44, 46. In some embodiments, the front lip 68 and support arms 44, 46 may be formed integrally, through appropriate bending and drawing operations, and in other embodiments, the front lip may be separate, but abutting the support arms.

In an embodiment, an upwardly positioned ledge 70 may be formed by a rear edge riser 72 at the rear edge 42 of the support surface 34 or rim 60. The ledge 70 may extend across the entire rear edge 42 of the support surface 34 and a portion of the support arms 44, 46 may depend directly from the ledge. Also, the upper hooked tab 56 may extend rearwardly from the support arms 44,46 at the level of the ledge 70.

To provide further strengthening for the shelf 28, one or more ribs or channels 74 may be provided in each support arm 44,46 extending generally in a front-to-rear direction.

The shelf 28, as described can be formed through a series of bends, draws and punches, and with the various strengthening bends and walls described allows the shelf to be formed from a thinner metal material than is presently used for refrigerator shelf construction. For example, presently used shelves have a thickness of about 0.060-0.070 inches, and the shelves made in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be formed of steel having a thickness of about 0.030 inches. In order to assure support strength for the attachment of the shelf 28 to the support ladder 30, the metal material forming the shelf may be folded over to provide a double thickness in the area of the tabs 56 (as best seen in FIG. 5), either by folding the material up from a lower edge of the tabs 56 or folding the material back from a rear edge of the tabs. If the shelf 28 is formed from a material having sufficient thickness or strength, the folding over would not be necessary.

To form the shelf 28 of the present invention, a single flat sheet of metal, such as cold rolled commercial quality steel, drawn quality cold rolled steel or stainless steel (300 series), may be sequentially operated on in a progressive die press in which various of the openings 52 are formed, the outer perimeter shape is defined by cutting or punching, the various bends and draws are made and thus the shelf is completed from a single flat sheet to the finished configuration by mechanical shaping, all without further assembly or use of fasteners including welding of separate components or parts. Tack welding or clinching of the folded or bent portions of the single piece shelf can occur, for strengthening or securing purposes, during the operation of the progressive die press, without the gripping or positioning of additional components or parts.

The resulting unitary self 28 has the required structural strength while being very economical to manufacture. Following the formation of the shelf 28 in the press, the shelf may be coated with powder coating, high solids coating, or electro-coating paint systems and may be pointed a variety of colors and/or may carry a variety of decorative hot stamps or films.

As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art. 

1. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising: a generally flat, horizontal support surface comprising a left edge, a right edge, a front edge and a rear edge, a first support arm extending along said left edge of said support surface, a second support arm extending along said right edge of said support surface, said first and second support arms each connected by a substantially right angle bend to said support surface, said support surface and said support arms being formed from a single piece of metal and being bent into a final configuration without the use of fasteners to hold separate pieces together.
 2. A shelf according to claim 1, wherein said support surface includes a plurality of openings formed therein.
 3. A shelf according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of openings comprise a series of parallel slots extending generally front-to-rear.
 4. A shelf according to claim 3, wherein said series of parallel slots comprises two rows of parallel slots.
 5. A shelf according to claim 2, wherein said openings include downwardly depending walls defining said openings.
 6. A shelf according to claim 1, wherein said support arms each are provided with hooked tabs arranged to engage with a support ladder in the refrigerator.
 7. A shelf according to claim 1, wherein said support surface includes a raised rim extending around a perimeter of said surface.
 8. A shelf according to claim 1, including a downwardly extending lip formed at said front edge of said support surface.
 9. A shelf according to claim 1, including an upwardly extending ledge formed at said rear edge of said support surface.
 10. A shelf comprising: a generally flat support surface comprising a left edge, a right edge, a front edge and a rear edge, a first support arm depending from said left edge of said support surface, a second support arm depending from said right edge of said support surface, said first and second support arms each connected by a bend to said support surface, wherein said shelf with said support surface and said support arms is formed from a single flat sheet of metal and is mechanically shaped into a final configuration.
 11. A shelf according to claim 10, wherein said support surface includes a plurality of openings formed therein.
 12. A shelf according to claim 11, wherein said plurality of openings comprise a series of parallel slots extending generally front-to-rear.
 13. A shelf according to claim 12, wherein said series of parallel slots comprises two rows of parallel slots.
 14. A shelf according to claim 11, wherein said openings include downwardly depending walls defining said openings.
 15. A shelf according to claim 10, wherein said support arms each are provided with at least one rib extending in a front-to-rear direction.
 15. A shelf according to claim 10, wherein said support arms each are provided with at least one rib extending in a front-to-rear direction.
 16. A shelf according to claim 10, wherein said support surface includes a raised rim extending around a perimeter of said surface.
 17. A shelf according to claim 10, including a downwardly extending lip formed at said front edge of said support surface.
 18. A shelf according to claim 10, including an upwardly extending ledge formed at said rear edge of said support surface.
 19. A shelf for a refrigerator comprising: a generally flat, horizontal support surface comprising a left edge, a right edge, a front edge and a rear edge, said support surface including a plurality of openings arranged as a series of parallel slots formed therein and including downwardly depending walls defining said openings, a first support arm extending along said left edge of said support surface, a second support arm extending along said right edge of said support surface, said first and second support arms each connected by a substantially right angle bend to said support surface, said first and second support arms each extending rearwardly beyond said rear edge of said support surface and being provided with hooked tabs arranged to engage with a support ladder in the refrigerator, a downwardly extending lip formed at said front edge of said support surface and an upwardly extending ledge formed at said rear edge of said support surface, said support surface and said support arms being formed from a single piece of steel and being bent into a final configuration without the use of fasteners to hold separate pieces together.
 20. A shelf according to claim 19, wherein said series of parallel slots comprises two rows of parallel slots.
 21. A shelf according to claim 19, wherein said support surface includes a raised rim extending around a perimeter of said surface. 